Date:         Mon, 7 Nov 2005 18:30:45 -0800
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Film of oil all over back hatch
In-Reply-To:  <00c601c5e3fb$4408c8d0$657ba8c0@MAIN>
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On 11/7/05, Robert Fisher <refisher@mchsi.com> wrote:
>
> Only works if you know what they taste like, eh? So he should sample from
> various bottles first and imagine what all the engine and road pollutants
> add to the mix....?


Engine only occasionally adds the slightest bouquet of unburnt hydrocarbons
to the oil. This gives its normal thick, oily petroleum flavor an additonal
gasoliney tang. It actually makes oil easier to ID-- particularly if it's
synthetic, which has a less definitive taste. There really are no "road
pollutants" that add any flavor. Usually all you get is dust and grit. This
adds texture, but doesn't change the taste.

And then hope he's not leaking more than one kind...


If it's enough to coat the back window, it's highly unlikely that he's
suddenly developed TWO major fluid leaks; And even if he has, it's not too
hard to discerne the taste of two mixed engine fluids. We're not talkin'
detecting a hint of orange peel in the carrot cake-- the taste of this stuff
is quite distinctive and hits like a hammer.

I'll pass on the merits, not having licked my vanagon much (I know some of
> us are obsessed, but !?!), but of all the strange advice I've read on this
> list, this is the strangest.
> I've had a mouthful of used 90w gear oil out of a Rabbit differential
> (don't
> ask)... for years after the very smell would make me want to retch (along
> with the smell of Southern Comfort, which is another long story). I
> actually
> don't doubt that it could work, but... really. No wonder so may of y'all's
> wives hate yer vans if you kiss 'em with that mouth.
>

LICK?!? Gawwww, that's disgusting! You only need to get just the tiniest
amount on the tip of your finger and touch it to the tip of your tongue.
None of the fluids are at all subtle in flavor. Oil tastes like petroleum;
ATF has a very plastic-like flavor; coolant is sweet, almost maple syrupy;
gear oil (as you know!) is the nastiest, most gaggingly sulfurous crap
you'll ever find. Really, you shouldn't ever have to taste gear oil, as the
smell should hit you as soon as you get near it. Heck, if you have a decent
sense of smell, you can sometime just SMELL the difference. Me, my nose
hasn't worked in years (unrelated to my oil eating!) so I have to taste it.

His engine and engine compartment (as well as his hatch, etc.) now need
> cleaning anyway- I'd go with the pressure washing and careful observation
> route myself. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. If he really
> wants
> to get oral with his van (and who wouldn't?), he can try it on the fresh
> leak(s) when it/they appear(s).


I agree, cleaning will be necessary to address the leak anyway. I'm just
saying that it's real easy to tell right away, without guesswork. Also lets
you know where to apply extra elbow grease when cleaning...

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"
"We'd tell a monkey how to peel a banana, if he said he was peeling one in a
Vanagon."